ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO TAPPEI NAGATSUKI, THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR OF RE:ZERO, THIS IS A TRANSLATION OF THE FREE JAPANESE WEB NOVEL INTO ENGLISH

ARC 4

THE EVERLASTING COVENANT

Chapter 62 [The Tragedy At Roswaal’s Mansion]

Seeing the woman standing in the doorway, a shiver ran through Subaru’s entire body.
Even for Subaru, who had experienced so many bouts of desperation and death since his arrival in the Parallel World, this was an existence that inspired a strange kind of dread.

Donning a black feathered cloak, the dynamic curvatures of her body were packaged in jet-black attire. The same color as Subaru’s, her black hair, which was such a rarity in this world, was woven into a french braid. The far corners of her eyes were angled downwards, while a seductive smile adorned her almost gentle expression.
If it weren’t for the blood-drenched blades casually dangling from her hands, she might have been mistaken for a lady straight out of a portrait―― instead of this murdering monster that was Subaru’s worst nightmare. His first-killer. The Bowel Hunter: Elsa Granhiert.

[Subaru: How are…… you here!?]

[Elsa: ――Oh my, I was wondering where I had smelled that smell before? How has your body been faring since we last parted? Have you been taking good care of your bowels for me?]

As if having just noticed the tongue-tied Subaru’s presence, Elsa lifted her brows and slightly tilted her head.
Just from her answer to his question, it was already clear that no conversation could be had between them. Taking care of one’s bowels isn’t something normal people would consider suggesting. Hearing her make such a request like it was a matter of course left no doubt in his mind that this woman before his eyes was a lunatic.
What’s more, she was a lunatic of a completely different breed than Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti.

Feeling all the muscles in his body contracting, Subaru strained his nerves watching Elsa’s every movement.
But the combat strength of this madwoman was such that she had taken a blow from the Sword Saint, Reinhardt, and lived. No matter how much Subaru sharpened his nerves, chances were she could take him down before he’d even have time to react.

[Beatrice: ――Who gave you permission to be here, I suppose]

Suddenly, a voice came from behind Subaru, addressing Elsa.
The one who asked this impassive question was Beatrice. She remained as before, facing against Subaru, except all traces of her tears had vanished from her face.
Hearing the girl’s question, Elsa brushed her hand through her long, dark hair.

[Elsa: It wasn’t locked or anything, all I did was open the door and come in? If you’re having such an important conversation, you shouldn’t forget to lock next time]

[Beatrice: That’s not what I meant. This is Betty’s Forbidden Library, and you have entered without my permission…… aside from this man, not many others could do this, I suppose. How did you manage this]

[Elsa: Ah, that’s simple]

As Beatrice tossed a glance towards Door Crossing’s other exception, Subaru, Elsa nodded as if having understood her question. Then, she gestured to the opened doorway,

[Beatrice: Yes. The Forbidden Library is potentially connected to any door in the Mansion. Unless Betty permits it, it should be impossible to find it, I suppose. So how did you……]

[Elsa: Then it’s easy. Seeing how it uses closed doors as the medium…… if I just opened every door, that would eliminate all the other possibilities, right?]

[Beatrice: ――――!]

Elsa spelled out her straightforward solution to Beatrice’s Door Crossing.
Indeed it was just as she said. Beatrice’s Door Crossing was a spatial transition magic that linked closed doors with one another. That is, it could not link to doors that were already open. Since there was a finite number of doors in the Mansion, once all the other doors were opened, the last one remaining could only lead to the Forbidden Library. But, in order to do this,

[Subaru: You’d have to open every door in the Mansion…… and no one tried to stop you……?]

But the moment he spoke, Subaru realized the full extent of his stupidity.
Or rather, that he had been averting his eyes from the truth that he didn’t want to see.

[Subaru: On… your knife…… whose blood is that?]

The blades of Elsa’s Kukri-knives were coated in congealing blood. Judging from the droplets still dripping from their tips, one might imagine that they had only just sliced open their prey. That, combined with his existing assumptions, gave Subaru more than enough reason to imagine the worst.
Watching the color drain from Subaru’s lips, Elsa traced her finger over the side of her blade, and then licked her bloodied finger clean.

[Elsa: I wonder whose it is?]

[Subaru: You……]

[Elsa: I’ll give you a hint. She’s dressed as a maid]

There were three people in the Mansion. They were all dressed as maids. Or no, Rem would be sleeping in her nightgown. So she’s out as a candidate. That leaves only two.

[Elsa: Hint number two. Her hair wasn’t long]

Petra’s hair was shoulder-length. Frederica’s hair was long.
――Subaru’s throat inhaled in preparation for the scream that was to come.

[Elsa: Hint number three―― “Subaru, Subaru!” she cried as she died]

[Subaru: ELSAAAAAAAA――!!!!]

Baring his teeth as he lowered his stance, Subaru charged towards Elsa head on.
Elsa casually straightened her limbs to meet his charge, pointing the tip of her right-hand blade at the oncoming Subaru’s eye――

[Elsa: ――Ara?]

[Subaru: Like anyone’s gonna charge a monster like you from the front!]

Elsa groaned as if taken by surprise.
In front of her, Subaru lowered his body, scraping his hand against the floor before swinging it in an upwards arc. Caught in the trajectory of his arm, a stack of Gospel pages went up fluttering.
In an instant, tens of white pages blocked Elsa’s view of Subaru. Immediately drawing in a breath, Subaru concentrated every ounce of his mana into the center of his stomach, and,

[Subaru: ――SHAMAC!!!!]

A plume of black smoke billowed out, completely obscuring the space between Elsa and Subaru.
Though it paled in comparison to the Shamac he used against Julius, he knew from experience that it would be effective against Elsa. Unlike last time, when he completely expelled all the mana inside his body, this time, it only left a general sense of fatigue, an indication that he was getting better at utilizing his mana.

[Subaru: Beatrice!]

Quickly turning around, Subaru grabbed the on-looking Beatrice by the arm. Though for a moment, she made an effort to resist, she didn’t manage to escape Subaru’s grip.
Forcefully pulling her almost weightless body, Subaru embraced the small girl into his arms and launched himself back into the Shamac.

――Confusion. Deprived of vision, sound, sensation, and left with only darkness.

The feeling of his footfalls had become Subaru’s everything, the entirety of his world.
In the span between one foot left the ground and his other foot landed, Subaru was completely abandoned by the world. His left foot lands. He was linked to the world. His left foot leaves. He was alone. His right foot lands. He was linked. He was alone. He was linked. He was alone. He felt something struggling in his arms. But he didn’t let go. He mustn’t leave her alone. He was linked. He was linked. He was linked.

[Subaru: ――Phaa!]

The next instant, as if popping his head out of a water’s surface, the darkness abruptly fell away.
In his clearing vision, Subaru found himself in the Mansion’s hallway. The red carpet lining the halls could only mean that they’ve dashed out of the Library.
They have bypassed Elsa at the door and escaped.

[Subaru: Knew that would work――!]

He knew that when hit with Shamac from the front, the battle-hardened Elsa would try to shoot Subaru through the smokescreen thinking that he would be running away. By going against her expectation and running towards her, Subaru passed right by Elsa through the door she had left open.

[Subaru: Kinda wanna say “Nailed it!”, but……]

This was no time to congratulate himself.
She didn’t know how long Shamac would last, but as soon as Elsa realizes that Subaru isn’t in front of her, she will immediately turn back in pursuit.
Roughly kicking the door shut behind him, Door Crossing’s link was severed. But, depending on Beatrice, Subaru couldn’t be sure if the Forbidden Library was still connected to his immediate surroundings.

[Subaru: Beatrice! Link the door to different room in the house……]

[Beatrice: I was going to even without you telling me, I suppose. Also, close some doors around us, that’ll buy us some time]

[Subaru: Shit, that’s right!]

Answering the disdainful words of the girl in his arms, Subaru scrambled to shut the closest doors around him. While closing each door he peeked inside, but found nothing of note.
He didn’t know how much of Elsa’s words could be believed, but――

[Subaru: What to do… what to do what to do what to do what to do what to do――]

The questions were endless.
Why was Elsa here now? Out of all the loops, this was the earliest she had appeared in the Mansion. It was the sixth day, then the fourth, and now the second―― no matter when, Elsa always attacked on the same day Subaru arrived at the Mansion.
He had already suspected this before. But now, after hearing Elsa’s statements in the Library, that suspicion was turned into conviction.
But if that was the case, then why――

[Subaru: Why not wait one more day…… or just wait a few more hours!]

That night, Petra would have been brought back to the village.
Subaru was already half-resigned to the fact that Elsa would attack the Mansion. The sight of Petra’s lifeless corpse remained seared into the back of his eyes. So this time he was resolved to place her far away from the carnage. Yet, even so, evil arrived sooner than his countermeasures could be carried out, and the girl could not escape her fate.

[Subaru: It’s not over yet. There’s no need to give up now. Even if she has some overpowered setup, there’s still a chance. There has to be. How can I lose hope now……!]

[Beatrice: It’s not so much hope as it is reluctance to let go, I suppose……]

[Subaru: Shut up! Just be quiet and let me carry you! That lunatic wants to kill you too, you know. She’s the kind of pervert who’ll open your belly with her knife and get turned on by seeing what’s inside!]

[Beatrice: Wanting to see a spirit’s intestines… that’s just bad taste]

While Subaru muttered in agreement under his breath, Beatrice suddenly slipped out of his arms and landed herself on the hallway floor. She lightly patted off her dress, and,

[Beatrice: So, what do you plan to do now, I suppose?]

[Subaru: It’s not about what I’m planning. The priority is to check if Petra and Rem are safe. And then…… either way, we’ll escape the Mansion together. Unless, you want to try and fight her?]

[Beatrice: ……If that thing came to kill Betty, if I just don’t resist, then I’ll get my wish…]

[Subaru: I knew you’d say that, that’s why I dragged you out… If you still won’t give up that thought, I’ll just have to carry you out of here. So which will it be?]

Looking down at Beatrice who was almost half his height, Subaru pressured her to choose. That said, he wasn’t really offering her a choice. Even if she decided to stay behind, he would still drag her out by force.
As if having picked up on Subaru’s intention, Beatrice exhaled a sigh,

[Beatrice: Even if I can’t choose the place of my death, I should at least choose who kills me, I suppose]

[Subaru: How about we discuss that once we’re settled down somewhere safe. Let’s go!]

Seeing that Beatrice was willing to follow him, Subaru took her by the hand and started running. Trailing behind him in her cumbersome dress, Beatrice struggled to keep up with her short little steps. They didn’t go ten paces before,

[Subaru: Aaaah, come on! I’m picking you up!]

He pulled her up by the wrist and took her into his arms once more.
Beatrice was a lot lighter than she looked. He didn’t know if this was because she was a spirit, or if it was just because of her stunted growth.

[Beatrice: ……let go, I suppose]

[Subaru: If we go at your speed she’ll catch us straight away! It’s faster if I just carry you! Besides――]

Even as Beatrice voiced her rejection in his arms, her hands gripped onto the front of Subaru’s jacket as if seeking something to rely on. Noticing this, Subaru fell silent, and neither affirmed nor denied nor commented on the matter.This is enough, he thought at the time.

Subaru’s last words trailed away as he shook the blond-haired maid out of his mind. Beatrice furrowed her brows at his reaction, but didn’t say anything in the end.
Right now, he wanted to avoid meeting Frederica. Once he had confirmed that the other two girls were safe, he would go find her, and ask her then.

At the moment Betty wants to die, so in this situation not.
An angry Betty willing to fight, it turns more into a who-hits-the-other-on-first fight, but with havent seen the full power of Betty, since she isnt scared to fight Roswaal, i had say she is pretty powerful.

the thing that ticks me off the most about the siblings is that how they treat others is almost entirely what someone else says. fred was unfriendly at first then after ross starts giving sub candy even telling him that ross gave her instruction to tell him things >not even secrets but what pl NORMALLY would tell others. I mean not telling sub about her brother being the protector of the place and would att them is just being a bitch…really pissed me offf…like it would be better if she went instead of sub but whatever. the brat acting like a dictator well he is 14 so thats understandable. i get it that ross is their boss but its like they are his slaves/ robots. tell sub betty is a spirit an hour later ross is joking about it.

The thing about Garfield is no matter how the author plan to justify it, him killing Ram (the girl that he liked) and all those innocent villagers makes it extremely hard to forgive him for any reason/ Maybe there is a good explanation, but until then I hate them both.

but she died on the other encounters. i mean subaru didnt actually see her die directly, but she did block elsa’s way and she was injured from her attacks? unless its gonna be the “it was an act and elsa didnt aim for vital spots” shit again… why even act in the first place if they were gonna kill subaru anyway? i mean if it was fredricas fault she could take him out with ease too

Hmmm, this is weird.
I don’t think that the writer would really kill a character like Petra off in this manner.
Which means that either Elsa is lying, or Subaru is going die in this loop (which I was pretty certain wouldn’t happen after the conversations he’s had with Emilia, Lewes, Garfiel & Betty)

We will see in next chapter, but I guess Subaru thinks it’s Frederica telling her to come. However based on one of the loops where Frederica had fought her it doesn’t really makes sense. Altough she was fighting her, she shouldn’t loose that easily. She is Garfiels sister after all. It might be she have just tried to pretend she is helping. Also the fact she didn’t meet with Elsa this time is weird.

yeahh maybe like in official arts i think she was standing next to the blue haired braids girl( was her name meili or something lol cant remember) from the village who controlled(?) mabeasts? and like im guessing they’re partners or acquaintances cus shes standing near elsa and she aint dead lmao

Elsa appear everytime when Subaru come back to the mansion… Elsa’s client want to get in his way but who is he ? Frederica ? I don’t think it’s her, I’m 80% sure it’s Otto or Roswaal who maybe know about Subaru’s Return by Death thanks to his Gospel

Sigh. Subaru should know that if she opened every door, then she already got to Rem. And Betty can link a door to that place in the sanctuary to help them eacape… But would it work if Elsa is still in the library?

i think its like with cops or special forces no matter how trained you area flashbang or smokescreen is still gonna affect you no matter what its just its a shorter amoun than a normal person compared to subo who hasnt probably seen or dealt with any other types it would take him a while to process and react

Chicken I would like to complaint about something. In chapter 61 comments section, some people were spoiling about de identity of Elsa’s contractor. Is there any way to prevent people to spoil? Must of us want to follow the story and read the section comments to share thoughts and theories , but it is really annoying when others spoil the story. I don’t know how this web side works, but is there any way to have moderators, or something like that, to help you out deleting comments? and maybe ¿banning people? Thanks again for your translations!!!

I remove spoilers as soon as I see them.
It would help if people also point out spoilers for me so I can get them right away.
Just leave a reply like “Please don’t spoil” and I can find them easier and remove them.

Subaru’s foreshading something. My guess would be Frederica’s betrayal.
1. Notice how Elsa describes Petra: maid uniform, her hair “wasn’t long”. So she would know about the long-haired Frederica. Yet she said she killed only one maid.
2.There’s no way Frederica wouldn’t notice an intruder opening all the doors in the Mansion. And there’s no way Frederica would go down without a fight. Anyway, this catfight is gonna be loud – but no sounds were heard in the library.
3. Subaru never seen Frederica dead, or fighting Elsa. Even in the second loop, Frederica only protected him from a thrown knife, before actually seeing Elsa. Elsa didn’t work up a sweat passing her.
Elsa just knows too much about the mansion, even the secret escape rout. So it’s very likely Roswall has hired her. Or she and Frederica work together, less likely, I suppose.

To sum it up, I think it’s possible that Frederica has orders from Roswaal to grant a free pass to whoever enters the Mansion. Maybe she and Elsa were given a password. It might be even worse – she could give Elsa a signal for attack whenever Subaru returns. She might not like it, though.

The thing about the secret passage even Petra someone who just started working knew about it. Unless Elsa learned about the passage by eavesdropping which might explain the whole waiting and ambushing theory.

I’ts normal for a maid to know about a secret passage – yet Subaru wasn’t trusted with this knowledge.
The second thing is, Elsa got inside from the other end of the passage, so unless she can teleport or is very lucky to stumble upon the entrance in the woods, than she knew exactly where that entrance was.
When the enemy knows not only of the existence of a secret escape rout, but even knows where it leads to, I smell betrayal.
Elsa working for Roswaal would explain it perfectly.

Loli save FTW! Hahah nice one! Betty still alive!
And wondering right now, if Elsa can tract Subaru down? Like maybe his scent or maybe a curse was placed on him to be detected or something? Cause she’s always there when Subaru arrives at the mansion.. no matter what day he returns…

It’s counting the days wrong when it talks about the timings of the attacks being different. When it refers to the “sixth day” and the “fourth day” for the first 2 attacks in the first and second loops, that refers to the days after arriving at the Sanctuary, not the days after the start of the loop. But when it talks about this being the “second day,” that refers to the days after the start of the loop (which is on the 2nd night after getting to Sanctuary). This is the 4th day since arriving in the Sanctuary (says so specifically in an earlier chapter), and the attack is happening on the same night that it did in the second loop.

In the second loop, the first day after the First Trial was spent talking to Lewes and then having Roswaal propose the plan to move the refugees, and the second day was the return trip to the Mansion, with Elsa attacking that night. In this loop, the first day after the First Trial is spent talking to Lewes and then getting his escape plan ready, and then the second is his return trip home, starting in the morning. He gets back to the Mansion several hours earlier than he did in the 2nd loop thanks to leaving early in the morning and not being burdened by the carriage or the other refugees, but on the same day. No matter how you look at it, it’s a mistake to try and say that this attack is happening a full 2 days earlier than the one in the second loop. At most it’s a few hours ahead.

Re-reading now, it’s actually a little ambiguous exactly what day this is. This can either be the late evening the day after the night of the trial, with him coming back the same day as his conversation with Lewes, or it might be the next day. So it might be one day earlier. In some parts it seems to imply that it’s the earlier option, but others seem to imply it’s the next day. It’s hard to say for sure, but it can’t possibly be a full 2 days earlier than the attack in the 2nd loop because that would put it before the point that he Returns by Death to, which is obviously impossible. Basically, trying to make a timeline is a headache and a half, Tappei-san…